ANJ authorises Betsson to launch online poker in France

On 15 October the ANJ, France's gambling regulator, gave the green light to the French arm of Betsson, the iGaming operator led by Pontus Lindwall. The approval covers online poker and allows the company to share liquidity across borders. According to Betsson, it is now the ninth business cleared to offer online poker in the country.

Betsson said it plans to use Playtech's iPoker platform. Through the iPoker network, French customers will be able to play with players in France, and the business has been approved for liquidity sharing.

That step came after the company introduced its sportsbook in Q3 2024. The product was rolled out through a joint venture that includes Nadir Ounissi, the founder of Casino Secret, whose role carries the title partner Betsson France.

Ounissi said: "Securing our online poker licence marks an important milestone for Betsson in France." He said the company aims to offer players an experience reflecting its commitment to quality, customer service and responsible gaming, and that it looks forward to continuing its constructive relationship with the ANJ.

NEXT.io asked whether the vertical had been launched partly in anticipation of broader iGaming legalisation that some stakeholders foresee in the years ahead. Betsson rejected that suggestion. The company explained that its choice rested on the state of the French poker market at present, not on what future regulation might bring. It added that widening the regulated offering falls to French lawmakers and that it would not speculate about that process. Betsson also pledged to keep working constructively with the ANJ and to grow its business inside the existing regulatory framework.

According to Betsson, the thinking behind the move was to extend the sportsbook base it has already built. It pointed to its poker know-how and to the standard of the iPoker product supplied by Playtech.